The holiday season is upon us. For you lovelies, I am writing up a series of gift guides to share as little hints to friends and family. Since this is a beauty and fashion blog, these gift guides will center around those two topics. This first gift guide will feature 20 popular luxury makeup products and 20 popular affordable makeup items. So, take look at this top 20 list and mention which items you covet when you share the post.
Primers
Here I decided to give a face and eyeshadow primer option. For this section, I have used both luxury primers and I totally understand why they are best sellers. The face primer truly creates a soft focus matte finish. The eyeshadow has been a cult favorite since the beginning.
Luxury
Hourglass Mineral Veil
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Affordable
NYX Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer
L’Oréal Paris Magic De-Crease Eyelid Primer Nude
Foundation
In 2016 the foundation stick, along with other makeup in stick form, became popular. However, liquid foundation was not to be forgotten either. These stick and liquid foundations were huge for 2016.
Luxury
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation
Affordable
L’Oréal Infallible Pro-Matte 24hr Foundation
Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation
Contour
I know plenty of beauty articles have been trying to steer people away from contouring because they feel it is heavily done. I don’t see it going out of style anytime soon.
Luxury
Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
Affordable
NYX Cosmetics Wonder Stick
e.l.f Contour Palette
Blush
I was never much of a blush girl until the last couple of years. Now, my makeup is not complete without it. Finding the right blush that does not look over done yet is pretty can be fine art. These blushes are holy grails for many.
Luxury
tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Palette Color Wheel
Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection
Affordable
NYX Ombre Blush
Milani Baked Powder Blush
Eyeshadow
If you look on any social media platform you will see tons of pictures featuring beautiful eyeshadow looks. It is hard to pinpoint which palettes are the overall favorites. As of the date I am writing this post these luxury and affordable eyeshadows are amongst the best-selling.
Luxury
Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Soft & Sexy Eye Shadow Collection
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette
Affordable
Maybelline Blushed Nudes Palette
BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette
Eyeliner
Ever since 2010 it seems like every makeup look features a winged liner. It used to be that the winged eyeliner looks were simple and clean. More people began getting more artistic with those wings and even incorporating them with smoky eye looks. So, a good eyeliner is essential in this day and age. It is no surprised that pen and cream/gel liners are popular as they give crisp lines and lasting color.
Luxury
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner
Affordable
NYX Matte Liquid Liner
e.l.f Studio Cream Eyeliner
Mascara
I am a mascara girl. Since I do not wear false eyelashes I must wear a mascara that shows my lashes in their best light. Even those who wear false lashes love a great mascara. Even though my faves are not on this list, the mascaras featured are loved by many.
Luxury
Benefit Roller Lash
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Affordable
L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Dramatic Volume Building Mascara
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
Eyebrows
I must admit; I am fairly new to filling in my brows. I always just kept them groomed well and left them at that. Now I know that brows require makeup too, to frame our faces beautifully. These brow products are widely used.
Luxury
Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade
Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel
Affordable
e.l.f Studio Eyebrow Kit
NYX Micro Brow Pencil
Lips
2016 was all about the matte and satin lip. Now in recent month metallic lips and glitter lips have risen in popularity, but their rise still has not outshined matte and satin finishes.
Luxury
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick Collection
Affordable
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream
Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor
Finish/Set
Decades ago makeup was finished or set using only a setting or finishing powder. Today we use a powder and a spray to set our makeup. If you want your makeup to stay put and slay, you do need a good setting powder and setting spray.
Luxury
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Urban Decay All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
Affordable
NYX HD Finishing Powder
NYX Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray
These 20 luxury and 20 affordable makeup products are perfect gifts for the holidays. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, you can share this post as a hint for family and friends. You can also use this list to pin point which luxury items you want to splurge on and which affordable ones you want stock up on. I have a few of these items on my holiday shopping list already. Don't worry, I'll let you lovelies know what I've decided on later.
